Gecht
Mister Gecht is a civilian engineer currently working as Assistant Chief Engineer aboard the Starship Discovery. PERSONAL HISTORY Born at the turn of the 22nd Century, Gecht was born to Chelon nobility in the Rigel system. Gecht was brilliant for someone of his nobility and age, something that astounded even the caretakers at Hatchling School. Coming from a family of nobility on Rigel III, Gecht was qualified for training in different private education facilities, but he chose to attend the Private Academy on Rigel V, where he wanted to get to know various other species of aliens, as they had become more and more frequent. Having an interest in Engineering, Gecht attended the Engineering Academy on Rigel VI and learned about the different ways of what makes a ship tick. It was also fitting of him to find work as an Engineer; most Chelons had excellent protection with their shells and can easily protect themselves from various forms of radiation. Upon graduation, Gecht took an especial interest in power sources, especially for warp engines. This took him to the pergium mines on Rigel IV. He was so fascinated with pergium, he remained on Rigel IV as a mining inspector, taking note of how much power pergium gives out. He realized that something like this would make an excellent power source, especially for deep space. When he heard about an Interspecies Exchange for aliens to Earth, who were themselves developing warp capabilities to be able to explore the stars, Gecht jumped on board on the first instant, with a couple of his attendants in tow; all of his attendants were ex-miners and also experts on pergium. He particularly enjoyed Earth, especially the warm climes of the Equator. He frequented San Francisco at times to share his opinions on the developing engines, but mostly stayed along the Equator for a while, either taking in the comfort of humidity (to him) or giving engineering lectures. All this was spent in a span of more than two decades, but as typical of reptilians like Chelons, patience was a strong suit for Gecht. Some at Earth regarded Gecht as someone who “made Thomas Edison look like Rip Van Winkle.” He never stopped thinking about pergium, and by the 2150s, it occurred to him to stop theorizing and start actually doing something, not to mention patience was not a strong suit to humans. The sooner humanity started launching, the better. To get in better proximity to San Francisco, Gecht took up residence in Glendale. It was the perfect location to him; it was within proximity to the beach and downtown, and he didn’t even care if there wasn’t anything downtown, as long as there was heat. While the Warp Five engine successfully launched on NX-01, Gecht spearheaded his project for a warp engine powered by pergium, a prototype based on his ideas he had while studying pergium at Rigel IV. He even got his family shipping fleet to get enough pergium for this purpose, although brought them in gradual amounts and were parked in Earth orbit: too much at one time can attract pirates, and he wasn’t certain at how pergium’s radioactive properties affected humans, at first. Of course, he was able to concoct an inoculation to resist pergium radiation, something he made from the toxin from his claws and fangs, though the toxin was modified so that it wouldn’t harm a humanoid body system and protect against pergium radiation. This concoction was what got him the Earth Nobel Prize for Chemistry, making Gecht one of the first aliens to receive a Nobel Prize. Gecht took time off his project to represent Rigel in the formation of the Coalition of Planets. He was late to the meeting, but it was just as well, for xenophobic humans from Terra Prime attempted to circumvent the conference. Gecht continued to represent Rigel as a quasi-ambassador, given his genteel mannerisms from Chelon nobility, but he remained at work on his pergium engine. War against the Romulans had broken out just as Gecht finished his adjustments and his engine systems to run on pergium. He didn’t have to look far for a starship to test the engine out: The Starship Discovery was in drydock for repairs after months of misery after a skirmish with Romulans. Gecht volunteered as a civilian and joined the crew of Discovery as Assistant Chief Engineer, where he helped retrofit the engine with his pergium designs. He felt it a fitting contribution, given that Discovery was being upgraded with Vulcan shields, Andorian weaponry and Tellarite armor plating. To Gecht, it meant that he was doing his part representing the Rigel system and all Rigel races to contribute to Discovery with an enhanced Rigelian engine design, of Chelon origin, complete with pergium reactors. He took on the position as Assitant Chief Engineer primarily because he was the only one who knew how the reactors, and the engine modifications, worked, but otherwise, he left the acting chief engineer, Michael Bronson, to run the show in Engineering. The thought, as well as suggestion, to help engineers learn how to work pergium systems had been brought to him a lot, but he knew the answer: Humanoids, let alone humans, had neither the time nor the patience to learn about Chelon ways, let alone mechanical functions. PERSONALITY & TRAITS Gecht is so civilized, he stressed etiquette and manners enough that, were he not an engineer, he would’ve made an excellently efficient diplomat, and he has helped in diplomatic situations in the past, but he’s a lot more comfortable near an engine. In point of fact, he felt the safest near an engine. He tended to be overly polite, fussy and was a worrywart, the fussiness from his Chelon noble lines, the constant worry due to his fear of demising prematurely, particularly if it was at the hands of another being, a particular phobia that developed after getting almost mauled to death by a Kalar a year after Hatchling School. Both of these qualities tended to embarrass people around him. Regardless of working on an engine, he always took moments to remind even his fellow engineers to mind their manners. As a hard-working engineer, Gecht had neither the time nor the energy for sexual relationships; he regarded such relationships in general to be a waste of time. Besides, as a sequential hermaphrodite, as all Chelons were, Gecht felt he didn’t even need a sexual relationship, not when he can lay eggs whenever he experienced a female state. Strengths: Heat, humidity, shell protection from radiation Weaknesses: Cold, combat situations Ambitions: Gecht sees himself within five years developing pergium engines for Starfleet in general, and in ten years, supervising their construction and implementing them to all Coalition vessels, military or otherwise. Hobbies & Interests Swimming Bathing Heat Tinkering Designing Thinking, especially for long periods of time (but not when he’s working) PHYSICAL PROFILE Like most Chelons, Gecht aged slowly. At 57, he, and often she, was still considered a youth, given that the Chelons age just as slowly as the average Earth turtles. And like Chelons in general, while intimidating, with an armored look, Gecht is really quite peaceful, and quite friendly, although in a slightly pompous and sarcastic manner. The shells in particular makes Gecht, again like all Chelons, hardy and provided excellent protection, and resistant to various forms of radiation, which is primarily why Gecht went into engineering in the first place. While not seen, Gecht possesses fangs that are handy in self-defense, and contains a potent poison, as well as the claws, though Gecht regards himself a creature of peace and in downtimes, drains the toxins as much as possible with the help of is attendant. A native of Rigel III, with its warmth and humidity, Gecht always enjoyed his abodes to be warm. While other Rigelian species, like the Jelna, possessed almost half a dozen different genders, the Chelons possess only one, and Gecht was no exception. As typical of Chelons, he, and often she, changed gender roles in his or her life, as well as being able to lay eggs, as Gecht did whenever entering into a female state. Gecht was often seen dressed in the traditional robes of a Chelon; he wouldn’t find a use for a uniform anyway, as a civilian volunteer. However, he deigned at times to be without his usual headgear; as traditional as it is, it has a tendency to fall off. Gecht was also outfitted with a form of electrolarynx, something he wore since he was almost killed by a Kalar. It's his most valuable feature, fitted with a universal translator that can allow Gecht to speak, as well as understand, over a hundred forms of communication, but he didn't want to be called in for diplomatic services unless it was absolutely necessary or if the Starfleet translators didn't work in certain aspects. EDUCATION Education: Late 2100-2112: Hatchling School, Rigel III 2112-2121: Private Academy, Rigel V 2121-2133: Engineering Academy, Rigel VI Service Record: 2133-2140: Pergium inspector, Rigel IV 2140-2151: Engineering Consultant, Interspecies Exchange, Starfleet Headquarters, Earth 2151-2156: Project Head, Pergium Reactor Project, Rigel 2155: Member of Rigel Representatives of the Coalition of Planets, Earth Late 2156: Assistant Chief Engineer, Starship Discovery NX-04